Questions & Answers

What can a chaplain assist you with?
With reverence and respect for every person’s diverse religious tradition and individual spirituality, chaplains assist patients and their families through:

Empathetic, confidential listening

Ministry during crisis

Sacraments, such as communion or Sacrament of the Sick (anointing)

Prayer, blessings and rituals

Help with the completion of Advance Directives

Memorial services

Pastoral counseling, including support for anxiety and distress, end-of-life, concerns about faith, grief and ethical dilemmas regarding treatment decisions, as well as comfort, strength and words of encouragement

Who are the Borgess chaplains?
Borgess chaplains are compassionate and caring professionals who have received special theological education, as well as clinical training to prepare them to meet many diverse spiritual needs. Representing a wide variety of faith traditions, our chaplains will assess your personal spiritual needs and respect your individual wishes.

Borgess chaplains also work in close collaboration with local faith communities. If you would like a leader from your own religious tradition, we would be happy to help connect you with your faith community of choice.

Who can receive chaplain services?
Chaplain services are available for patients, family members, community members and staff.

When are chaplains available?

Borgess Medical Center chaplains are available from 7:00 am-midnight, 7 days/week, every day of the year. To contact a chaplain during these hours, call the operator at (269) 226.7000 and ask to speak to a chaplain.

Borgess-Pipp Hospital, Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital and Borgess Gardens (Nursing Home) have chaplains available on select days. Your care team will be able to tell you when your specific chaplain is available for spiritual support.